Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Continued through Work of Local Youth

On Monday, January 19, 2009, volunteers across the nation honored the legacy of Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During his lifetime, Dr. King encouraged people to work together in addressing community issues. The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach’s Keystone Club have committed that last two years to transforming the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as day “on”, as apposed to a day “off”, in order strengthen our community and honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The King Day of Service was initiated by Congress in 1994 as a nationwide effort to turn the federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a day of community service that helps solve social problems.

The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach Keystone Club began planning for the King Day of Service by discussing community issues within Laguna Beach and developing a community service project to address a specific issue. The group decided to volunteer to help the Laguna Relief and Resource Center. Boys & Girls Club staff, friends, families, and Keystone members rolled up their sleeves and scrubbed, mopped, swept, vacuumed, raked and dusted the Center. Bob Whalen, Boys & Girls Club Board President who participated in the King Day of Service remarked, “Our Club members who volunteered today embody the spirit of volunteerism and service to others that is so appropriate on Martin Luther King Day. We are very proud of our Teen Center members and the staff that guides them everyday. One of our key goals for 2009 is to continue the expansion of the Teen Center and its outreach into the community.”

The Laguna Relief and resource Center provides homeless and low income assistance as well as disaster relief and preparedness for Laguna Beach residents. Volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach TLC branch provided a home cooked dinner, which included side dishes from Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. The free dinner was served at Heisler Park and is provided daily by volunteers of the Laguna Relief and Resource Center.

Keystone Club is the Boys & Girls Clubs most dynamic teen program. Each Club is chartered and promotes leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 14-18. Keystoners elect officers and implement activities in six areas: service to Club and community, character and leadership development, education and career exploration, unity, free enterprise and social recreation.